The concept of the slide-up handle particularly for use in beer boxes carrying twelve bottles in two rows of six has been with us for some period of time. Initially the cartons with the slide-up type handles were incorporated into top load boxes having both longitudinally and transverse partitions. These were replaced in some areas by end load type cartons having only a longitudinal partition some of which were provided with a handle, not necessarily a slide-up type. A handle currently used in some of the cartons used by the brewing industry in Ontario is illustrated in Canadian Pat. No. 940,884 issued Jan. 29, 1974 to Dewhurst and comprises a longitudinal partition formed into an envelope with a handle contained within and projecting up through the envelope. The envelope is mounted in a carton and the handle is movable through the top of the envelope from a retracted to an operative position wherein the handle projects above the top of the carton in a position for carrying. Many versions of slide-up handles have been used and the public has become accustomed to carrying their beer in this manner.
It has also been proposed to use handle structures that are connected to the central panel by accordian type pleats that unfold as the handle is moved from a retracted to an extended position. Such a device is shown for example in Canadian Pat. No. 884,165 issued Oct. 26, 1971 to Edwards and in Canadian Pat. No. 803,860 issued Jan. 14, 1969 to Lemon as well as No. 911,389 issued Oct. 3, 1972 to Hagedorn.